If you are like the majority of people who have discovered that you have COVID-19, you will have been wondering if there is a cure for this disease. If you are concerned that you may have a gene that affects your body’s ability to fight cancer, you should know that there are medications out there that are being developed that are working against this disease. In this article, we will take a look at some of these medications, including the JAK and RdRp inhibitors, and the new pill known as Plitidepsin.
Plitidepsin
Plitidepsin is a drug which has been shown to have antiviral and anti-tumour activity. It is a cyclic depsipeptide drug which is administered intravenously. In addition to treating multiple myeloma, plitidepsin has also been tested for the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2).
Plitidepsin inhibits the translation of viral mRNAs and proteins. It does this by targeting eEF1A, a host protein. There are several host proteins which play a role in the life cycle of SARS-CoV-2.
There are two primary eEF1A isoforms eEF1A1 and eEF1A2. The first isoform is used for aminoacylation-dependent tRNA export. The second isoform, eEF1A2, is involved in eukaryotic translation elongation factor (eEF) production and mRNA translation. These are important host factors for the replication of respiratory syncytial virus.
Plitisepsin is a drug which is approved for the treatment of multiple myeloma in Australia. It is also a drug which has been used in combination with other anti-MM drugs in clinical trials. The combination has shown anti-tumour activity and a positive safety profile.
Molnupiravir
Molnupiravir is a powerful oral antiviral that was developed for influenza and other viruses. It interferes with an enzyme called RNA polymerase, which is like a copy machine for the virus’ genome. This prevents the virus from spreading in the body.
The drug has shown some activity against a variety of coronaviruses. It also has been studied against influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).
Molnupiravir is a less expensive option than monoclonal antibodies. It is also easier to use, requiring no cold storage. It can be taken by people suffering from mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms. The World Health Organization has conditionally recommended it for certain cases of the disease.
The FDA has granted a safety approval for molnupiravir for the treatment of mild to moderate COVID-19 in adults. The agency has determined that the benefits of the drug outweigh the risks.
The drug will be sold by prescription in the U.S. and India. It will cost US$700 for a 5-day course. It should be started within five days of the onset of symptoms.
JAK inhibitors
Janus kinases (JAK) inhibitors are small molecules used to treat a range of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. These medications are a promising option for patients with COVID-19. They can reduce the risk of thrombotic complications.
The current recommendation for COVID-19 treatment is to use a combination of corticosteroids and a JAK1/2 inhibitor. The combination has been shown to improve clinical outcomes. The FDA has approved baricitinib and remdesivir to be used in this combination. Several studies have been conducted to study the use of these drugs.
A recent meta-analysis of five randomized controlled trials has revealed that these drugs reduce mortality. However, the studies did not include data from the optimal patient population. These results suggest that the use of high-quality meta-analyses could guide the selection of JAK inhibitors for optimal patient outcomes.
The use of baricitinib has been associated with a significant reduction in respiratory failure. In addition, the use of the drug decreased the risk of death in hospitalized patients.
RdRp inhibitors
RdRp inhibitors have been developed for a variety of RNA viruses. They compete with viral ATP molecules for incorporation into nascent RNA strands and thereby halt RNA viral genome replication.
One of the most commonly sought drugs to cure SARS-CoV-2 is RdRp inhibitors. While RDV has demonstrated excellent selectivity against EBOV, it does not appear to provide any significant improvement for hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Nevertheless, the drug is still used in the United States and several clinical trials have been conducted to determine its efficacy.
Remdesivir is an antiviral nucleoside analog that has been tested in several clinical trials and appears to have some success with SARS-CoV-2. However, the results of these studies have been mixed.
A comparative analysis model has been developed to help scientists understand how remdesivir interacts with the polymerase. The model also provides the basis for the design of new antiviral therapeutics.
